Nighttime Light Remote Sensing for Urban Economic Spatialization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for analyzing urban economic development in urban agglomerations lack spatial information and dynamic change reflection, particularly in using traditional survey data and ignoring bidirectional economic linkage differences between cities.

Innovation Solution

A method utilizing nighttime light remote sensing data to spatialize GDP through industry-based modeling, trend analysis, and a modified gravity model that incorporates a night light development index to analyze economic linkage strength and urban economic network structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If traditional survey data is used to analyze urban economic development, then data collection is straightforward, but spatial information is lacking and dynamic changes cannot be reflected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespatial informationVSAvoiddata collection method

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical survey data collection methods with remote sensing technology using nighttime light data from satellites. This substitution enables automatic acquisition of spatially-resolved economic activity information without ground-based surveys, thereby recovering spatial information while simplifying the data collection process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces nighttime light data as an intermediary variable that correlates with economic activity. This intermediary enables the derivation of spatial economic information from satellite observations, bridging the gap between remote sensing measurements and economic development analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If traditional survey data with long release cycles is used, then data accuracy is maintained, but dynamic changes in regional development cannot be reflected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accuracyVSAvoidrelease cycle

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes continuously available nighttime light satellite data to provide ongoing monitoring of economic development. This continuous data stream enables timely detection of dynamic changes in regional development without the long release cycles characteristic of traditional survey data, while maintaining reliability through established correlation between light intensity and economic activity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary spatialization of economic data using nighttime light observations before formal analysis. This advance preparation creates ready-to-use spatially-resolved economic indicators that can immediately reflect dynamic changes, eliminating waiting periods associated with traditional data release cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If symmetric economic linkage between two cities is assumed, then analysis is simplified, but differences in development between cities are ignored

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanalysis complexityVSAvoiddevelopment differences

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetric analysis by calculating economic linkage strength separately from each city's perspective using nighttime light data. This asymmetric approach reveals directional differences in economic interactions and development disparities between cities, moving beyond symmetric assumptions while managing complexity through systematic data processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentUS20250013961A1Method for analyzing changes in urban economic development characteristics of urban agglomeration based on nighttime light remote sensing

Publication Date: 2025.01.09 CHENGDU UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

AI summary

Disclosed is a method for analyzing changes in urban economic development characteristics of an urban agglomeration based on nighttime light remote sensing according, including: building a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) spatialization model: spatializing GDP of an urban agglomeration region by using an industry-based modeling approach, modeling spatialization of a primary industry output GDP1 with land use data, and modeling spatialization of a secondary and tertiary industry output GDP23 by selecting an optimal light index on the basis of nighttime light data; measuring an increase or a decrease of a specific variable over time at a pixel level using trend analysis; and modifying a gravity model that reflects an economic linkage strength between cities. The present disclosure can provide data support and methodological basis for the high-quality economic development of the urban agglomeration.